


Carpe Noctem

by himarichibi



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tokyo Ghoul, And Phichit too, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Anxiety, Chris is the best friend ever, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Ghoul Victor, Katsudon is sacred, Location Change, Love Confessions, M/M, Mystery, Original Character Death(s), So it's not that bad, The triplets are the best wingmen, Tokyo Ghoul AU, basically Victor is a ghoul while Yuuri is a human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2018-10-07 08:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10356567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himarichibi/pseuds/himarichibi
Summary: When the night falls, the darkness surrounds everything and demons come out from their shelters, every time more and more powerful. The empty feeling of being abandoned, the loneliness, terrible memories and words making you cry, all of them claw their way into the heart sitting in your chest.But all you really need is a bit of light to fight away the shadows.And while Viktor hides in the night, Yuuri is his beacon of warm light.





	1. Prologue: In the dark of the night

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first big project that I'm doing on my own and I really hope you'll like it. I love both YOI and TG and this idea came into my mind one evening and I just _had to_ bring it to life.
> 
> Every bit of a feedback is really appreciated, kudos and comments make me squel from happiness and work faster ;) I hope to update the fic every two weeks (or even more often).
> 
> You can always contact me on twitter to say your opinion, chat (or really anything), my user is [@_neromi](https://twitter.com/_neromi)
> 
> Okay *deep breath* enjoy!
> 
> P.S. "Carpe noctem" is Latin for "seize the night".

The life of a ghoul is a brutal and cruel one. Ghouls kill people and eat them, no one can be safe in the town. Every day somebody dies just because they were in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Or because they were unlucky enough to get a ghoul's attention. One thing is sure - no one can get away.

The life of a ghoul is also mysterious. Always hiding, always running away, always tracked by the CCG agents like a wild animal. Nobody knows what a ghoul's face looks like - they're wearing masks. Everyone next to you could be a ghoul. The only thing you'll see before you die, before your body is ripped apart with the ghoul's kagune, will be a pair of red hungry eyes instead of the ones you’ve known for so long, the good, brown eyes of a friend.

But the life of a ghoul is a lonely one. The same routine, day after day, month after month, year after year. Hiding and killing. Killing and eating. Seeing the fear of your colleagues, listening to the news about 23 new victims. Being among people and yet feeling so alone. Feeling like you never belonged there in the first place.

***

The night covered the city with its cloak, moonlight making snow sparkle like a beautiful white ocean. It would be really beautiful, but not tonight. Stars on the sky were hiding from what was about to come. Deadly silence at empty streets of the 21st ward was ringing in the ears of the determined CCG agents. Lucifer was in Tokyo again and soon the snow was going to turn red from blood.

Whose blood though?

The mission should be quick and smooth like a shot of a flawless sniper. It was perfectly planned and the agents chosen were the best of the best. They had just one ghoul to face and he was outnumbered. What could go wrong?

Everything.

They were going to battle with Lucifer, The Fallen Angel, one of the most famous and most terrifying ghouls that had ever lived in Tokyo. Some people said he was the incarnation of bloodlust itself. A few months ago he disappeared from the town, no one really knew why, but now he was back and didn’t especially try to hide. He provoked the agents to face him, killing some of them when they were at the streets in disguise, tracking a family of ghouls. Thanks to him, the parents and the child could run away safely. Now the Agency was going to take its revenge.

Hiroki clenched his jaw. He didn't really want to be there. He had to as his superior, Senior Investigator Eguchi, was chosen to join this Squad, but Hiroki still remembered the first time he heard about the Lucifer. It was during his time at the Academy, when they went to the Agency's archives. He promised himself that he wouldn't fight with him, because he just... He just didn't want to die.

_"Lucifer. The Fallen Angel," he murmured. "Who the hell is he? And what's with his kagune? I've never seen anything like that before," he said to his friend, not noticing that his teacher was right next to him._

_"And you don't want to see," he told the young man. "He is dangerous, definitely not for you to face. Rated SS, or even SSS. No one is really sure."_

_"W-why?"_

_"Because nobody made it back alive from fighting him," he stated with a grave voice. "Now come back to work."_

He shivered at the memory of the empty green eyes of his teacher, the eyes of a hurt man that had to watch his friends go to missions and die, killed by ghouls with cold blood, with hearts full of hate. Or maybe it was just the cold wind of winter that made him tremble. Yes, that must have been it. He wasn't weak, but he also wasn’t proud of the fact that he belonged to this Squad like many of his friends probably would be, strutting around proud as peacocks. He might have been the best in his class, the most talented and ambitious one, but he didn't seek prestige. And yet there he was, at the empty street covered with shining snow, about to look into the eyes of the devil.

"What are you doing here, boys? Don't you know going out so late in this area is dangerous?" They suddenly heard a calm voice and came to a halt, immediately taking out quinques, unlocking and aiming their guns, ready for attack, observing.

He was there, waiting, leaning nonchalantly on the corner of the building with a smirk on his face and his arms folded on chest. His still icy blue eyes hiding behind a beautiful dark mask that looked like a carnival one watched the agents carefully. Lucifer was dressed in black clothes, two buttons of his shirt undone, his silver hair almost ethereal. Hiroki opened his mouth in pure shock, not fully controlling his reaction. The boy always imagined ghouls as dirty beasts, covered in blood and with ill smiles on their faces. Despite all the education given to him at the Academy, that was the picture his subconsciousness was still making him believe in. Some of the ghouls really behaved like hungry monsters from his childhood nightmares, but this time he was proven wrong. What was more, the ghoul wasn't even trying to hide in the darkness of the night to attack them when they didn't expect it, like a lion jumping from behind the high grass of Savannah. No, he was standing there, tall and confident, ready to face them in a fair fight.

"We will do it the hard way then," he said with a sad sigh as if already regretting the things he was about to do.

The young investigator started to believe that the ghoul really was an angel, a cursed unlucky creature that was hunted by humans, unfairly judged to be a killer. But then Lucifer's eyes turned red and he took out his kagune. The Angel fell to the ground, claiming hell as its kingdom.

The agents tensed and fired their guns to harm the ghoul with Q bullets before it would have even the smallest chance to attack. Their actions were useless though as Lucifer used his kagune as a shield, each and every bullet falling down on the snow without a single sound, muffled completely by the white powder. He stretched his kagune again, letting out a quiet huff of disappointment.

"No fun at all with you tonight," he said with this silky voice of his that surrounded the agents like a delicate shawl and made them shiver a little.

And even though they hated ghouls with all their hearts, they had to admit that he was truly beautiful. Dark unforced elegance of his was something marvelous, he was like a creature from another dimension, wonderful and dangerous at the same time. His silver hair sparkled like the snow in the moonlight and his kagune looked even more stunning - two angelic wings, heavenly blue and smooth like a fresh ice, reflecting moonshine in a sensational way. They were spread with such grace and a manner that could be named almost erotic and only after a moment Hiroki noticed he was holding his breath. But that wasn't everything what made it so special. Connected with the lower part of the wings there were two strong tentacle-like whips, delicately twisted at the ends. Sometimes you could hear gossips that when Lucifer was really serious about his battle or just when somebody made him furious, he would divide his kagune into four parts, like a demonic butterfly's wings and then even God couldn't help the ones who had the misfortune to become his victims. However, no one was able to confirm this information as well as many other things that remained unsure about The Fallen Angel. He was still a mystery, everyone took his secrets to their graves.

He started coming closer, his moves gracious as if he was a black panther or a snake hypnotizing his victim. The agents moved uncomfortably. They knew the ghoul was one of the most dangerous ones and despite all the training they received, they still felt a little bit unsure.

"Stay still," Senior Investigator Koto that was the leader of the Squad said quietly, somehow able to remain calm and restrained.

Lucifer stopped and tilted his head to the right. "Oh? But that will make it easier for me to kill you, don't you think?" he asked slowly and smiled sweetly, his smile completely unsuitable to his scary appearance and yet Hiroki found himself completely enchanted.

And then the ghoul attacked.

Everything happened way too fast for Hiroki to notice. He heard the sounds of guns, his fellow agents screaming, ghoul investigators fighting with their quinques. He was one of them, constantly attacking, not letting Lucifer rest even for a moment. But the ghoul was rated SS or SSS not without a reason. He was strong and quick, taking the agents down one by one, leaving the four investigators as the last ones standing. They encircled Lucifer and were getting ready for another attack. But something was definitely wrong.

"Masato, come here with your division, we need your help," Investigator Eguchi desperately tried to make the communicator work. "Masato, do you copy?" he asked, but all he got was silence.

"You're calling for back-up? I'm afraid you will join them sooner than they would... It's hard to move when you're dead, you know?" The ghoul looked at Eguchi, placed his index finger on his chin and tilted his head a little, thinking, then laughed adorably. "But I'm not sure, I've never tried!"

Hiroki knew they had a perfect chance to attack, but he was also aware that every agent froze upon hearing these words, said with such amusement and innocence as if it wasn't about 25 murdered people.

"You killed them," Investigator Koto stated the obvious, clenching his jaw. "You fucking bastard."

Lucifer turned to face him, squinting his eyes like a cat. His previous childish attitude was immediately gone, replaced by cold fury and bloodlust. He was looking at Koto with such anger in his red eyes that Hiroki shivered, even though this terrifying look wasn't aimed at him.

"Yes, I killed them," The ghoul hissed. "And oh, how much I hate the taste of the murderers of the innocent. Their skin is steeped in blood of the terrified children and women, men wanting nothing more than to protect their treasures. How many of them did you kill, Investigator? How many screams of pain did you hear? How many families did you part?" With each question Lucifer made one slow step towards Koto with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Confess. I'm ready to pay you back for your sins."


	2. The light of the night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, ONE VERY BIG THANK YOU to everybody who read, left a kudo, commented or shared this fic! Thanks to you, I finished this chapter much earlier than I thought (and it's so long... over 3k words... wow!). I'm so grateful for your support! <3
> 
> I started writing the next chapter, but I'm afraid I won't be able to finish it in one week just like this one. I have much work to do for my classes and projects at university :< But don't worry, I'll do my best to update as fast as I can ^^
> 
> Also, I joined Tumblr, here's the link to it and my profile on twitter. Feel free to write me if you want!  
> [tumblr](https://himarichibi.tumblr.com/)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/_neromi)
> 
> So... enjoy! :3

The night was falling, the night of the red moon, covering everything with a bloody shadow. The sun was still fighting with the unstoppable dusk, trying to safe the snow from the darkness, last remnants of the red roses of sunshine slowly withering. That was the time of the fight between angels and demons.

He didn't see it though, standing on the ice of his heart with eyes closed, expression calm and sad at the same time. An ethereal and lonely demigod with a crown made from the moonlight.

The sound of skates gliding over a smooth blue surface echoed in the empty room. Sanity and peace found in one place, in the movement of arms, in the blissful feeling of forgotten suffering. He didn't need anything, his body was music, dancing on the icy ocean of love. He jumped, spreading his wings, ready to join the sky and stars that had been forbidden for him to touch for so long. He was flying, feeling the warm wind on his face, finally knowing what freedom and safety are for, calling him, silently singing, waiting...

"Viktor. Viktoooorrrr." He heard. What the hell? "Viktor, wake up!"

Not this again... 

"Jesus Christ, let me sleep. It's my free day today," he said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Um, Chris is fine, you know?"

Viktor groaned and slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice, opening his eyes. He saw exactly who he expected - his flatmate, Christophe Giacometti, looking at him with those green eyes shining from amusement. He must have just taken a shower - his blond-black hair was wet, drops of water sparkling in the sunlight peeking from behind the curtains in Viktor's room.

"Stop grinning like an idiot. It wasn't funny." Nikiforov sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He wanted to sleep in today but Chris woke him up at an ungodly hour, or so it seemed as the sliver-haired was way too tired to function. Only the man himself knew why he wanted him to get up so early.

"Uh uh, Viktor, your devil side is showing again. Didn't you eat last night?" he said and friendly poked his flatmate in the arm.

Viktor immediately frowned. "That's not the topic for jokes, Chris, you know that."

"Yeah, I'm sorry... But you promised me you would go to that restaurant I found some time ago today, so get your lazy ass out of the bed, Nikiforov. It's almost 11 a.m."

So that was what it was all about. Viktor had the tendency to forget many promises he made and other things as well, they flew out of his head like nestlings from the mother's nest, never coming back until somebody brutally reminded him about them. Just like then.

"11 a.m., huh?" Viktor murmured. It wasn't that early at all. Nevertheless, he didn't want to leave his warm bed, he would watch stupid movies or read books all day if he could. He wasn't in the mood for going out somewhere and interacting with people. Not today.

"Wouldn't it be better if you went there with your boyfriend or a friend that can actually eat something?" he added, not without bitterness in his voice, and again rested his head on the pillow, burying his face into the material, trying to cut himself out of the world. Being dramatic, he also put the blanket he was under on his head, covering himself completely.

"I'm definitely not the one," the Viktor-blanket said.

"My boyfriend is busy and I wanted to go with you. You can't sit at home every day you don't have to work," Chris said and Viktor could hear a pout in his voice, along with amusement mixed with worry.

He knew Chris was right. He couldn't isolate himself from the whole society, but sometimes he just wasn't able to look the people in their eyes, Chris being the only exception. Viktor was glad he had him, that Giacometti didn't reject him when he got to know the truth about his other identity.

_The moment Chris entered the house, he knew that something was wrong._

_"I'll call you back," he said to the person he was talking to and closed the door to the apartment, ending the call. "Viktor?" he called out, but the only answer he got was silence. Well, except for the sound of quiet sobs in the bathroom._

_Chris found him there, curled into a ball on the floor and trembling slightly, an empty shelf instead of this cheerful Viktor he knew. There were wet tracks left by tears on his cheeks and his eyes were looking at the wall but seeing nothing. Chris had never seen anyone so broken and miserable in his life._

_"Viktor? What's wrong?" he asked delicately and started coming closer to the crying man._

_"I'm a monster," he whispered with a hoarse voice. "Don't come here, I'm a monster."_

_"Viktor, what are you talking about, stop this," Giacometti said seriously._

_"But that's who I am. That's what everyone says I am. A monster. The Devil. The Lucifer himself," he said and laughed bitterly, but then his self-control broke and he started sobbing again._

_Chris immediately knew what Viktor wanted to say by those words. He saw many times how Nikiforov sometimes reacted to some news, how he was cutting himself from the world more and more every time when he came back home after disappearing in the middle of the night. These few sentences showed Chris the brutal and sad truth that he suspected to exist for a longer while. And he couldn't stand it anymore. He knelt down in front of his flatmate and took him in his arms, hugging him tight._

_"You're not. You're Viktor and you're not what they say. I know you, you're not a monster. You are only who you want to be," he said to him and for the first time in many years Viktor Nikiforov felt understood._

Despite everything, he smiled under the blanket at the memory. Chris saved him from his own mind. After that evening they explained everything to each other, every secret was no longer a mystery concealed in the darkness and both of them felt relief. Nothing was left to hide. Viktor finally found somebody who accepted him and became his friend. The fact that he was a ghoul didn't matter to Giacometti, it was all about who he really was deep inside, as sappy as it may sound. And in his heart Viktor was still the same smiling and charming person, but haunted by his own past and his own fears at the same time. He didn't kill because he wanted to or because it was a pleasure to him. He had his reasons. He once promised himself that nobody would have to experience the same misery and grief that he was put through. He killed to protect the innocent and the vulnerable from the CCG agents that were so often guided by nothing more than hate, not wanting to understand. And Chris, despite being a human, made sure that Viktor accepted this part of himself as well. He helped him find a way out of the night he was living in.

"Okay..." Viktor finally said, removing the blanket from himself and turning his head again in Chris' direction. "I'll go with you."

"Huh? What have you just said? Sorry, I didn't hear you," Giacometti teased Viktor as he often did, most often to make his friend smile or just because it was something he was in a mood for. Nikiforov both loved and hated his behaviour.

Viktor let out a quiet huff of fondness and rolled his eyes. "I'll go with you," he repeated, deciding that giving up was his best option. He wouldn't bear more of Chris' teasing.

"Right then, get up and get ready for an adventure!" Chris grinned and walked out of the room only to peek his head from behind the door a second later. "I forgot about one thing. Good morning," he said and then he was gone.

***

"Are we finally there?" Viktor groaned. He started to regret his decision about going out with Chris, promise or not. He was sleepy, exhausted and definitely not in the perfect mood for a dinner with a friend. He wasn't too tired to look at the wonderful scenery of the park they were going through with amazement though. Delicate rays of winter sun made the ice on the trees shine as if the tiny stars were sitting on their branches, the snow sparkled like glitter, a treasure of nature. Viktor loved watching small miracles like that, they made him feel like the world was truly beautiful, giving everybody its love, a human or a ghoul, it didn't matter. All of them were flowers of the Earth's garden.

Viktor smiled to himself, looking down at his feet, expression changed from the one of a pouty puppy to calm and peaceful. Chris could see it too, there was some kind of quiet of the ocean in his friend's eyes, blue and deep, and he hesitated to answer his question immediately. He let Viktor have this moment of relaxation and detachment from the cruel reality. Sometimes he really needed that.

"No, but we're really close," Chris told him after a short while, bringing Nikiforov from his thoughts back to the world.

"Okay," he said with a much more cheerful voice than before, looking up at the sky, still with a little smile on his face. It seemed that Chris was right. Again. Sitting at home all the time wouldn't do him any good. He needed to go out, see the world, feel the chilly winter wind on his cheeks. He needed to live.

After a few more minutes of walking they finally arrived at the place Giacometti wanted to visit - a Japanese restaurant, "Yu-topia" its name was. Viktor had to admit, again, that Chris had a great taste when it came to choosing a place they were going to stop by. Yu-topia was decorated in a nice and modest way, warm and peaceful atmosphere making customers feel like at home, quiet, relaxing music playing in the background, people talking happily, friendly laughter heard from time to time. Everything was almost perfect and Viktor was sure that everyone wanted to stay there for as long as possible. He could fully understand that as he would definitely do the same if it wasn't that crowded, which was probably because of the lunch time. It was the only thing he wasn't fond of there. There were way too many people for his liking, but just this once he could ignore that feeling of uneasiness that chased him every time he was in a situation like that, when he felt surrounded and observed without any particular reason. This place was for sure worth it.

"See? I told you it's lovely here," Chris said with a proud smile when they found a free table. "And I heard that they serve wonderful coffee here," he paused, his smile changing into a smirk and Nikiforov knew what was coming next. "But I also heard that it's not as wonderful as the boy that makes it," he added, whispering in conspiracy and winking playfully for the effect.

Viktor rolled his eyes. "I think I told you many times before to stop trying to set me up with someone."

"And I think I told you many times before that I'm not going to," Giacometti answered and turned his head to a waitress that just came to their table to note down their orders with a gentle smile.

Viktor sighed, giving up and let himself drown in his thoughts again, looking around the restaurant. He saw a young man with black hair and glasses with blue frames, talking to a customer in a friendly way, smiling brightly while taking an empty cup from him. Nikiforov felt completely enchanted by that little scene, even if it was the simplest one possible. But maybe that was what made it so pure.

"You're staring," Chris told him.

"I'm just admiring the place," Viktor shrugged and looked out of the window, giving the man with the glasses a one last glance. He was talking with their waitress now, nodding his head with a serious face.

"Admiring the place, huh? Not the owners' son?" Giacometti murmured, but Viktor decided to just pretend he didn't hear him to avoid the upcoming teasing. Nikiforov had to stop himself from smirking, looking at the trees covered with a tiny layer of snow. He knew Chris wanted the best for him, but sometimes he definitely was way too forward. Not everything Viktor did was connected with his love life after all. If he ever was going to have any.

Finally their orders were brought and Chris' attention turned to his dish while Viktor started drinking his black coffee. He hummed approvingly after the first sip. He had to admit that it was one of the best coffees he had ever tasted.

"Oh, Viktor, maybe you want a piece of mine too? Katsudon is delicious," Giacometti asked with a big shit-eating grin on his face.

"Chris..." Viktor sighed, frustrated. "You know perfectly well that I don't eat-" He caught a glimpse of a young man sitting rather close to them and tapping on his phone, curiously listening to their conversation. "-tiny... innocent... creatures like... pigs," Nikiforov said with a smile, but his eyes were telling Chris one thing: "Try to laugh and you are dead and gone."

Chris laughed.

Viktor didn't have a chance to scold him for that as he was distracted by a sudden argument a few tables away.

"I want to watch the match, give me back that frickin' remote control!"

"No, it's my turn to choose now! We’re watching this channel!"

Viktor sighed. A big fuss over nothing at all. Currently the news were on and the winner of the Battle For The Remote Control turned up the volume, much to the dissatisfaction of the other customer. Nikiforov curiously looked at the TV screen and immediately felt sick as he heard what was broadcasted.

"CCG agents said their last goodbyes to their colleagues who died yesterday during the fight with Lucifer. Nobody from the Termination Squad was left alive and the ghoul disappeared again. The Agency asks citizens to be careful and report any strange behaviour they may witness. Investigator Okugawa made an official declaration this morning: _'We won't stop until this ghoul is captured and the city is safe again. It's the matter of honour for us. We promise we will protect you from those beasts!_ "

"This Lucifer is scary..." somebody said after hearing the information.

"Yeah, I heard there were 50 people murdered yesterday," another person agreed and then others joined the conversation, the football match someone wanted to watch forgotten. Ghouls were always the topic many people didn't want to skip. Often just to hear the news, sometimes to scare the naive with stupid gossips. Of course there were the ones that didn't like it, too scared or unsure about everything connected to ghouls, but more frequently skipping the topic was rather unbelievable when there was an occasion to talk about the beings hiding in the shadows of Tokyo.

"50? I've recently heard about something like 72 or 75."

"All the best agents. He killed them all by himself."

"I live nearby the 21st ward. The snow... fuck, what snow, there was only blood there!"

"I-I need to go to the toilet," Viktor told Chris quietly and stood up, not waiting for his friend's answer. He didn't want to be there, he knew he wouldn't bear any more comments about yesterday’s events told with a scared or, what was worse, excited voice. As if it was something wonderful, something everyone would want to see if given a chance. Just thinking about last night made him want to throw up and sitting there and listening to all these people was too much for him. He leaned his back against the wall next to the toilet door and took a deep, shaky breath, closing his eyes. He just...

"Excuse me, is everything alright? You look pale." He heard a worried voice. He turned his head right to look at the speaker and he found himself being completely speechless as he saw the young waiter he had spotted before. Viktor thought he couldn't really blame himself for forgetting all the existing words as the man was truly astounding, especially up close. Nikiforov never assumed he would ever call somebody that, definitely not when his life was like a living hell. But this man, shorter than Nikiforov, with raven black hair and beautiful chocolate brown eyes, currently looking at him with nothing but honest worry, seemed to be an angel to Viktor.

Nikiforov nodded and eventually found words that he wanted to use. "Yes, I'm okay, don't worry," he said, brushing his hair out of his eyes, sending the waiter the most charming smile he got in his collection. With a some kind of pride he noticed that it made the young man blush adorably, but quickly gave himself an internal talking-to for thinking that. That wasn't the time for it, probably never would be. "Thank you for your concern," he added.

"I-It's nothing, r-really, I just saw you and thought y-you might need help a-and that's it." The waiter wasn't looking at Viktor at all, he was talking to his feet more than to Nikiforov, his cheeks turning even redder, his poor barista apron being tugged at nervously.

"Anyway, I'm thankful," Viktor said delicately, still smiling. Despite all the scolding he could give to himself, it was good to know that sometimes even a stranger cared about you. Even if that stranger didn't know who you really were. Viktor rejected this thought, not wanting it to ruin the moment when he could throw himself in the blissful state of a casual conversation. However, other things did it for him.

"S-so if you're feeling well, I-I will just... I'll just come back, I-I'm probably needed there," the man said quickly and nervously went back from where he came, almost running and stumbling on his own feet.

Viktor stood in the corridor for a moment with nothing but an expression of pure shock on his face, not really expecting that kind of reaction. Did he do something wrong? Or was it something he said? Upon not being able to find any answers, he decided to join Chris. His friend didn't ask any questions, for what Nikiforov was grateful, but from the long look and a little smirk he gave him, Viktor could tell when they would come back home, he was going to get a lot of teasing from his flatmate for making a blushing mess of the owners' son. Nikiforov internally groaned as he realised the man's escape for sure was noticed by Giacometti.

"Please, not this again," he said and started sipping his not really warm coffee, the thoughts about the previous night forgotten. At least for the time being.


	3. The New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! I hope you didn't get bored of waiting, I tried to write as fast as I could!
> 
> Thank all of you for any kind of a feedback, you guys are the best! Special thanks to @angels_play for constant support and THE PERSON WHO LEFT THAT WONDERFUL COMMENT ON THE LAST CHAPTER, WHOEVER YOU ARE, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU <3
> 
> You can contact me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/_neromi) and [tumblr](https://himarichibi.tumblr.com/), I will be more than happy to talk to you!
> 
> Also, I've been listening to some new discovered songs recently while thinking about this AU and decided to add them to the fic. If you have songs you want me to listen, please write me! :D  
> And [here](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lqZxbr_0cSY)'s the song I like to listen to and think about the prologue.
> 
> Okay, that's it I think ^^ Enjoy!

"Viktor, will you close the rink tonight? Please, I need to go out earlier," Reika asked shyly with a blush on her cheeks.

It was a beautiful afternoon, the sun had already started to set down slowly, giving its last rays to the world. Soon the moon would be the king of the sky and with the court of stars it would look at the night-life of the city. But right then the world was still covered with the cloak of warm light of the winter sun that made snow change its colour into the beautiful shades of orange. Many people were coming back home from work, not really looking at the sky and the beauty of it. But there was a man with silver hair and blue eyes that would be staring at this spectacle of nature. Right then though his mind was occupied with many other things, Reika's question snapping him out of his thoughts about one particular Japanese man whom he promised to himself he would forget. But he couldn't. That day morning he even went to the Yu-topia again, just to see his wonderful smile and deep brown eyes. Nikiforov didn't understand why he had done that and he already regretted his actions, not exactly sure if he could trust his own mind.

"Oh? Sure, that's not a problem at all," Viktor smiled, looking up at her from his coffee, silently wishing it had been made by a one adorable barista he knew. "I wanted to skate for a little longer anyway," he added, glancing at the surface of the smooth, newly done ice. "And destroy the ice."

Reika laughed quietly. "You know, you can just flood it later, you criminal. Like you always do."

She was Viktor's closest colleague and she knew about his passion for figure skating. She often asked why he hadn't trained if he was so good at it instead of becoming an instructor. Then he would just smile sadly, answer that he had his reasons and she wouldn't push. Even if he was so distant sometimes, looking so lost in his own thoughts that she could swear he would disappear if he was able to, he was almost like a brother to her. And she adored seeing him when he stepped onto the ice to start skating, sharing his love and passion with others. Sometimes when he didn't notice, she stayed at the rink during his lonely sessions and marvelled at his self-choreographed routines. He seemed so calm and relaxed then, almost like a different person.

The truth was, he couldn't tell her why he didn't become a professional ice skater as it would mean her getting to know that he was a ghoul. The blood tests could easily show his identity and that would mean not only banning him from the ice skating world, but also him having to hide from the public and the society for the rest of his life. Being an instructor wasn't perfect, but that way he had a normal life, at least as normal as a ghoul could have, and he did what he loved, something that was giving him peace.

"Criminal? You wound me, Reika," he said in a dramatic voice. "Now in exchange you have to tell me with whom you're going for this date tonight," he grinned.

"What? I didn't say I was going for a date!"

"Oh, come on, you're so obvious about it!"

Reika shaked her head and sighed. She wasn't. But sometimes Viktor could easily tell what other people felt and most often he used it to help them when they were sad or confused about something. He was empathic and understanding, calming people with his quiet voice. It was really helpful when the kids were feeling a little bit down after a failed jump, spin or just a simple fall, making Viktor the most adored instructor at the rink. But he also loved acting like a mischievous wizard, showing his childish attitude what was both adorable and annoying, especially when you were his target.

"Remember that guy I told you about? My new neighbour?"

"Yeah, the one you kept fangirling over that, a quote, 'He is so cute and omg!'?" Viktor took the last sip of his coffee and threw the paper mug to the bin with an amused look on his face. "From your blushed face I can tell that I got it right. So yes, I remember. A miracle itself," he added, grinning like an idiot, fully aware of the fact he was very likely to forget everything almost all the time. One could tell him anything and it was more than sure that he wouldn't remember it the day after that. Or even sooner.

"So yeah... He asked me out."

"Oh well, I won't stop you anymore then! Go, it's getting late," Viktor said and stood up. "I'm gonna become the bad criminal now," he added and winked, making Reika laugh.

"Just don't stay up too late, you have classes in the morning!" she said after taking her bag with the skates and headed to the exit.

"Yes, madam," Viktor said playfully. "And have a good time!" he told her, waving his hand for goodbye and receiving a smile and a nod as an answer just before she walked out from the ice rink.

Nikiforov sighed, leaning on the boards, his well-trained smile almost immediately gone. It was an exhausting day and he would be glad to return home as soon as possible, but Reika awoke in him thoughts that he didn't want to hear and memories imprisoned in the deepest part of his mind, long forgotten.

He stepped onto the ice, letting the sound of skates gliding on the unblemished surface calm him down. He had always felt better when skating, the ice making him more true to himself than he ever could allow to show to other people, relaxed, but also vulnerable. Because when he danced, he let his feelings shine, visible in his every move.

He practiced some figures and simple jumps, wanting to clear his head from unnecessary thoughts, a reward after a long day. He regretted that his life had to be like this, that he had to hide, that the CCG hurt him so much in the past, destroying him, making him break down. He shaked his head, slowly skating to the edge of the rink to play the music, he didn't need this kind of thoughts right then. And yet he couldn't help it and chose the song that always made him consider his own personality, look deep into himself as the routine was still incomplete, even though the choreography was perfectly mastered. Some kind of a mysterious existence was still missing, despite all the beauty and grace, all the pashion put in the skate. It was lacking of something, just like Viktor's soul, a hidden and scared part of his own mind.

The first notes of the melody started playing and he looked up to see the sky his imagination created for him, his eyes full of vulnerability, full of longing and hope. The purpose of his skate, the meaning of it could never be far from him, just a breath away, a short moment, one second, but he closed the door to his heart and put it in chains, not wanting to let it touch him again. He couldn't feel what was lacking, all he saw was just the endless shadows of the past and misery. But he still wanted to know, still pleaded fate to make it visible for him, because maybe shutting himself and creating that distance was a wrong thing to do.

He jumped, feeling as if he was flying, but the stone and iron in his heart made him touch the ground with his feet again.

A feeling with no name, pure and infinite, but Viktor knew it was it. But all he could feel was the emptiness in the place the emotion should have been, a dark hole clutching his chest, taking his breath away and absorbing him into nothingness.

He reached to the invisible person at the edge of the rink, for the nonexistent warmth, for the pushed away, long time ago broken heart. "Will I ever know what it’s like to feel whole again?" He asked himself, one single tear running down his cheek, being just like Viktor - alone.

He spinned, wanting to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, blossom like a new, fresh flower after a long winter, needing to find that feeling he couldn't term. And then he stopped, frozen in the final pose, breathing heavily because of the exhaustion and the chaos his feelings made flourish in him.

He asked himself only one question - who did he skate for? But he didn't know the answer.

"Just please... whoever you are, whoever you might be... stay close to me."

***

It was going to be his last sunset. It was going to be his last night. The ghoul should have been killed and they would be celebrating right now. How could it end like this? Didn't he notice something that was hidden in the shadows? Maybe he shouldn't have agreed to Daisuke's candidature for being the Squad's leader. He remembered his brother's sparkling eyes, the excitement and determination in them, full of understanding that this was their best occasion to finally get rid of the Lucifer.

The CCG's Chairman, Koto Riichi, clenched his fist and looked out the window. The sun was almost gone. Gone just like his brother, killed with cold blood and hate, killed for nothing. In his mind he saw the gravestone with engraved dark letters creating the words most precious to his heart - "Koto Daisuke". He still couldn't believe that his brother was buried in the frosty ground, not responding and cold, so different from the man who just a few days ago was telling him about their perfect plan that was going to give them a victory desired for so long.

"We will win this fight. Because we are twice armed if we fight with faith," Daisuke said that day, quoting Plato.

"You were so wrong, little brother..." Riichi whispered, his voice barely audible in the empty room. Koto felt the flame of hatred under his skin, hatred towards the monsters that were haunting their city. Children, women, men, it didn't matter, he was going to destroy them all. Because they weren't capable of love or compassion, they were beasts that cared only about themselves, killing innocent agents and defenceless civilians. And he would do everything to free Tokyo from their disgusting hands.

Suddenly he heard a soft knock to the door and then his assistant, Azahara Naoko, walked into the cabinet.

"Sir? Doctor Ito from the Laboratory Division wants to speak to you." She paused, looking at the CCG's Chairman, concerned. After a few years of work with Koto she could easily tell her chief's mood and then something was telling her not to disturb him. "Should I tell him to come another time?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Let him in," Riichi said and Naoko invited the waiting man inside, silently closing the door behind him, going out of the room. She knew something important was going to happen there, something mysterious and yet beautiful for the Agency.

"Sir, I think I’ve found it. The solution. Perfection." Ito started talking as soon as he came closer to the Chairman's desk, not caring about greeting his superior. He was a man of small posture and with longer grey hair, giving away an impression of an unimportant figure in the CCG, a little scientist with a white apron, constantly sitting in the laboratory and creating new quinques for the ones doing the hard work. But he was much more than that. He was almost a genius, both wonderful and scary at the same time. His eyes were sparkling in excitement but even Koto shivered as he saw a glint of craziness deep inside of them, a fire of bloodlust and sick satisfaction.

"Show me," he said shortly, not letting himself to show any signs of uneasiness in front of the doctor.

He was handed a piece of paper filled with chaotic notes and drawings, not making any sense judging from the first glance. He almost lost his temper and was about to call it all bullshit and useless crap, but then he saw this one thing he needed and a little smile appeared on his face.

"Yes, that's it. That's exactly what I wanted. You have my approval, doctor, do what you have to to achieve the goal as fast as possible. I want weekly reports on your work."

He handed back the notes to the man and dismissed him. When the door closed behind the doctor, Koto let himself smile widely with satisfaction. Finally. They were going to have a weapon against Lucifer. And with that weapon they were going to win.

***

In the other part of the city, in a small flat, two friends were sitting together on a bed and watching a movie, a musical to be precise. Quiet notes of the currently playing song were filling the little space. One of the boys was thinking how good it was to watch "The King and the Skater" once again with his best friend while petting his beloved hamsters after posting a perfect photo about his evening on Instagram, but the other one's thoughts were connected to a much different topic. The topic that had been haunting him for days and he still couldn't find a good explanation nor solution to it.

"Oi, Yuuri, what's with that smile? That guy was in Yu-topia today as well, wasn't he?"

"Huh?" Katsuki quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts, blushing slightly as he was caught on not paying attention to Phichit's favourite movie. "Y-yeah, he visited the restaurant today," he answered, not looking at his friend.

"And?"

"A-and that's all."

"Yu-Yuuuu..." Phichit started with a discontented pout and paused the movie. In that exact moment Yuuri knew he was going to get scolded. That was heard in the Thai's voice and seen in his eyes, but more importantly, it was shown in the way he addressed his friend. It was reserved especially for occasions like that. "I still don't understand why you run away from him the other day, but now I get to know that you had another perfect chance and still did nothing?" He sighed, shaking his head.

"I-I'm not like that, I'm just not able to be confident in front of him!" Katsuki said, his cheeks turning even redder. "And I don't think he liked me too," he added quietly.

"You're kidding, right? He loved your coffee and-"

"Yeah, because that's how you can tell that the guy you like likes you back - he thinks your coffee is good," Yuuri cut in with his sarcastic comment. He knew Phichit wanted the best for him, but he thought that this particular man was beyond his limits. Especially when he wasn't able to brace himself and talk with him properly. He lacked confidence, yes, he was fully aware of that, and even if he tried, he still couldn't feel completely comfortable in front of strangers. The customers were another story of course, he liked working in the Yu-topia and, quite funnily, it was relaxing to him, but he was certain that this silver-haired man was something much different.

"Shut up, Yu-Yu, I'm talking," his friend huffed. "So, Mr. Handsome loved your coffee and he was staring at you, I saw that! And he came to the restaurant again. Aaaand probably wanted to talk to you, yeah?"

"U-um... I'm not sure. I didn't really stay near to his table and-" he paused, seeing Phichit's disapproving look. "Don't make that face, I had work, I needed to help Mari and... other things!" he tried to justify himself but without effect. His friend still had that I'm-disappointed-in-you-Yu-Yu expression. Yuuri sighed, giving up. "I probably should have tried to say something to him, haven't I?"

"Well... DUH?"

Katsuki let out a quiet chuckle. He couldn't stop himself as his friend's expression was just priceless. The situation they were in was quite serious though as almost every time Phichit tried to encourage Yuuri to be more confident by showing him many arguments for and against something or even just by making him laugh. This evening it wasn't any different and Yuuri started to think that maybe he just had to go for it. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad... Or maybe it would turn out to be a total disaster and he would make a fool out of himself in front of that guy.

"Still... I don't think he's interested," he said, bringing one of his biggest fears to life.

"Yu-Yuuu, I'm sure he liked you too!" his friend exclaimed. "But I also am the best secret matchmaker ever and I heard how he talked with his friend and you know what? Forget everything I said earlier. He is not worthy."

"Phichit..." Yuuri sighed. "Eavesdropping isn't something to be p- Wait, what?!"

"He is not worthy, Yu-Yu," Phichit repeated with a serious voice. "He didn't want to eat katsudon."


	4. Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for being later than usual with the update, but I hope this chapter will turn out to be worth waiting for! I give you more Chris, more matchmaker Phichit and the first appearance of the Nishigori triplets! :D
> 
> And I think I will never thank you enough for all the support, kudos, comments, bookmarks or shares, but... thank you! <3

"Come on, girls, one jump more and we can call it a day, ok? Lutz, your free leg is a little bit sloppy, please try again, won't you? Yeah, perfect, that's my girl!" Viktor grinned, looking at his three new students. It was his very first lesson with them, but they already knew the basics. The girls said that their mother had been teaching them and Viktor had to admit that she was doing a marvelous job. Not to mention the fact that the triplets did ballet as they proudly told him after he praised their nice positions.

"You can get off the ice, your mum should be here soon to pick you up," He said with a smile, taking off his black polar jacket with the white word "instructor" sewed on its back and tied the sleeves into a knot circling his hips. He sighed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. It was a busy day and he began to be tired as he had classes from the very morning till the late afternoon, the triplets being the last ones to leave the rink. He missed his warm bed, a hot cup of black coffee and the book he had been reading. However, he had plans for that evening, so all of that had to wait.

The girls didn't listen to him though. One of them cleared her throat to get Viktor's attention and as soon as he looked up, all three of them skated towards him and started making slow circles around the man.

"Mr Nikiforov, you promised!"

"Yeah, a promise is a promise!"

"You have to keep your word!"

"Pleeeeaaaase."

"You can't do that to us!"

"You didn't forget, did you?"

Viktor didn't even know which one of them he should look at, let alone the fact he couldn't tell which one was talking at the moment. He was sure he would get nystagmus if he tried to, so he didn't push his luck too much. Instead he just smiled in embarrassment.

"I-I... Um... What was it that I promised you?" He let out a nervous laughter.

"You forgot!" all three girls exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm sorry, sorry, forgive me!" he whined and dramatically collapsed on the ice, looking like a true personification of misery and penitence. The triplets chuckled.

"Get up!"

"The lifts!"

"You promised us the lifts!"

Viktor's sad expression immediately turned into a playful one. He stood up quickly.

"The lifts! Of course! Which princess goes first then?" he asked, smiling widely. He really grew to like the Nishigori triplets, they had so much good energy and he couldn't stop himself from smiling when they were around. He waited for them to set the order, but the girls were just looking at him with sparkling eyes and mouths open in awe.

"He called us princesses," they whispered. "So awesome."

"Hm..." Viktor patted his chin with his index finger, thinking. "Well, maybe Loop as the first one?" he suggested. "Come, my little lady," he added and winked, reaching out to the girl. She immediately skated towards him with a happy expression.

"Okay, here it comes!" he exclaimed, lifting Loop and doing a little spin at the same time.

"Wooooaaah!" The girl closed her eyes and smiled widely.

Viktor was more than glad to see she liked it and was ready to do another spin, or maybe even jump, but then he heard the shutter of a camera. He looked at Loop's sisters, surprised. Axel had her phone aimed at the pair, her eyes fixed at the screen with pride, her fingers typing quickly. Viktor send a questioning look to Lutz.

"The pic is great, it goes on Instagram right now!" the girl explained with excitement, not really answering his silent questions of why they actually took the photo, where they were keeping their phone during the lesson and why they didn't put it in the locker as everybody should do before stepping onto the ice. As he soon realised, he couldn't really nurse a grudge against them, those were long and complicated questions. "We're gonna get so many likes!"

"Oooh, please tag me, I wanna be a part of it too!" Viktor said while lowering Loop so that she could join her sisters. He decided to forget about the rules of the rink and the ones of his own and let his childish attitude rule completely. His heart-shaped smile appeared on his face and another sound of the camera was heard, surprising him again. He couldn't ask the triplets about it though as they were interrupted by Yuuko Nishigori who came to pick up her daughters.

"Axel, Loop, Lutz, it's time to go home!" she said, waving to them from behind the bench.

"Okay, girls, off the ice for real this time and to the locker room to take off the skates!" Viktor ordered the triplets and skated towards their mother to talk to her about the class.

"Good afternoon, Mr Nikiforov, how were the girls?" she asked, watching how her daughters got off the ice.

"Please, just call me Viktor, I'm not that old yet," he said jokingly, still in a good mood after the lesson. Well, he was a bit serious as well. He was 27 years old but he didn't like admitting that. He had enough teasing from Chris or Yuri Plisetsky, his stepbrother, about his silver hair being gray or getting thin. Most of it was from Yuri though, especially after Viktor changed his hairstyle to a shorter one, cutting his previously long strands.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." Nikiforov waved his hand in a nonchalant way to show he really didn't mind at all and looked at the blushing Yuuko with an encouraging and delicate smile, causing the woman to smile back.

"You call me Yuuko then."

"Okay," Viktor nodded and went off the ice to talk with the woman properly, not wanting them to be separated by the boards if they were going to discuss things connected with the practice. He thought it would be much nicer and more polite. He didn't bother with putting on his skate guards though as he still wanted to practice one spin and only then flood the ice before closing the rink. "So, the girls..."

"Were they too much? I'm sorry, they can be really overwhelming sometimes and-" Yuuko immediately started apologising, knowing how her daughters could behave. She got many complaints about it from other teachers and instructors before, but she saw how the girls were happy after that one class with Viktor, so she hoped he wouldn't resign.

"No, no, I wanted to say they did really well today!" Nikiforov cut in quickly before Yuuko could flood him with apologies. "You’re doing a great job teaching them the basics, so we could immediately hop onto learning more complicated things, you know? I'm looking forward to our next class, they are wonderful students and it's truly a pleasure to train them," he added with a smile.

"I'm really glad to hear that," Yuuko sighed with relief and glanced towards the locker room where the triplets were getting ready to go home after practice. "The dates didn't change? They can come the next Thursday?"

"Yes, but if they can't make it, please call me. I think Reika gave you my phone number, didn't she?"

"I have it, thank you," Yuuko nodded with a smile. She was really happy her girls were finally going to train the sport she was truly passionate about, which was quite obvious. She named her daughters after figure skating jumps after all.

"Mum, our ice skating instructor is super cool!" she suddenly heard and looked in the direction of the merry voice. The triplets were running towards her and Viktor and when they reached them, they started bouncing around with excitement. Yuuko wondered how they could have so much energy after a long and probably very tiring practice, jumping with their heavy bags with skates in them. However, if she were to be honest, it wasn't that much surprising at all.

"And so awesome!" the other girl added.

"And sexy!"

"We took pictures!"

"Perfect boyfriend material for Yuuri!"

"Girls, stoooop!" Yuuko exclaimed, blushing from embarrassment and looking at Viktor with guilt in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, they sure don't mean-"

"We do!"

"Stooooop!"

Viktor laughed and waved his hand. "It's okay, I find them adorable, really. Don't worry about it."

"He called us adorable"

"Yeah, I heard."

"He _has to_ meet Yuuri."

"Girls, I'm losing my patience, I'm waiting two more minutes near the exit and I'm going home without you!" Yuuko said, all flushed red, and after murmuring goodbye to Viktor, not even looking him into the eye again because of the shame, she headed towards the door. That was the signal for the triplets to really stop.

"Goodbye, Mr Nikiforov. Till Thursday!" the sisters said.

"Till Thursday, girls! And the next time show me your pictures before you post them, I want to look as perfect as possible," he joked and winked.

"Okay!" All the girls cheered and followed her mother. Viktor was about to go back onto the ice when he felt that somebody was delicately poking his leg. He looked down.

"Mr Nikiforov," Axel said, lowering her voice in conspiracy. "We will take Yuuri with us on Thursday. But shhh, it's a secret."

He crouched down to look the girl into her eyes. It was important to him as he wanted to show her she could trust him and that he treated her as an equal.

"Okay," he said with a serious face. "I didn't hear anything. What were you talking about?" he asked and then smiled innocently, as if completely oblivious of what she had just told him.

Axel made a content sound and run towards the exit where her mother and sisters were waiting.

Viktor shook his head and let out a quiet laugh. He loved the Nishigori family, it was so refreshing to have them there. He stood up and stepped onto the ice once again that day, wondering who might be that Yuuri the triplets wanted him to meet.

***

The evening was slowly coming to an end, the sun giving its last act to the world, disappearing behind the horizon. The night started taking the reign over Tokyo, summoning the darkness to surround the city. The eyes of the stars were focused on the empty streets of the suburbs, quietly observing a lonely man who was walking with no visible point in his mind, humming quietly and looking at the sky, his hands hidden in the pockets of his coat.

He didn't know that a few blocks away two dangerous ghouls who had just made him their target were hiding in the darkness, deciding to attack as soon as ge got closer to them, dragging him into a dead end so that he couldn't run away. It was going to be an easy one, they thought. Much easier than waiting nearby the restaurant what was their original plan.

And they did as they had planned. However, they were brutally forced to change their minds as in the shadows of the back alley the stranger released his kagune, looking at them with a little mocking smile on his face. They trembled, looking at him. They weren't really scared, but he had something in him that sent shivers down their spines, his red eyes locked on them and a powerful kagune ready to attack in any moment.

"Really? Attacking another ghoul? You two must be so desperate," he chuckled.

"It is our hunting area, get out of here or things will get nasty," one of them growled with irritation.

"Yours?" The lone ghoul smirked. "I'm afraid it's not yours anymore."

He started coming closer like a black, gracious panther approaching its victim and the two other ghouls realised they were damned from the very beginning.

***

"The remnants of a brutal ghoul fight were found in the area near the Yoyogi Park this morning. We don't know about the result of the fight yet and the ghouls still can be in the area. The Agency asks the citizens to remain calm and promises to increase the number of patrols there. We will be informing you about all the proceedings in this case."

Christophe Giacometti was peacefully chilling on the sofa while watching the news when he heard that particular piece of information. He frowned and turned down the volume of the TV, glancing at his flatmate who was reading a book with a calm expression on his face. Chris cleared his throat.

"Isn't it nearby the restaurant we went to the other day?" he asked, knowing that Viktor heard everything even though he might have seemed busy and focused on the book. He was right.

"It is," Nikiforov said, not even looking up.

"Viktor..." Chris began, his voice warning and demanding answers. "Did you have anything to do with it?"

"U-um..." Viktor started looking uneasy, his gaze wandered from the book to rest at the floor. "M-maybe?"

"Maybe? Viktor, you know it's dangerous, especially with the Agency constantly-"

"What are you, my annoying aunt or something?" his flatmate complained in a whiny voice, closing his book with a loud thump, looking at Chris with a bit of irritation in his eyes. Giacometti noticed, as many times before, that Viktor didn't use the word "mother". He never really did and Chris didn't ask about it, deciding it was the best for the both of them.

"No, I'm not," he sighed. "But I'm worried about you, Viktor. And if you want to bring Makkachin back home, the situation on the streets must change. The CCG is sending more and more patrols, it's not good."

It was Viktor's turn to sigh then, his expression changing into a troubled one, the slight irritation from before gone completely.

"I know, I'm sorry," he said quietly, looking out the window and staying like that for the rest of the morning. Chris decided to let him be, leaving his flatmate with his own thoughts, knowing that he would talk to him when he needed to. Right then though, he was sure that Viktor wanted to sort out some things by himself.

***

"A ghoul... fight," Yuuri murmured to himself while cleaning the counter. He was glad they didn't open so early that day as the restaurant was reserved for a birthday party that was going to take place in the afternoon. If there were customers in the "Yu-topia" back then... Yuuri sighed. He was sure everybody would go crazy about the news. Another dangerous fight after that one particular ghoul came back to Tokyo, not to mention the fact it was close to the restaurant. That ghoul... The Lucifer was his name, Yuuri remembered. Some people also called him the Fallen Angel. The Devil. He was scary... At least that was what Yuuri could say from all the news he heard. Jeopardy and bloodlust, fury and cold... All these could be the ghoul's middle names. It didn't seem to be right though. Yuuri bit his lip, trying to figure out what was at the back of his head, not noticing that the counter he was cleaning became perfectly stainless a longer while ago.

A really loud knock to the glass restaurant door made him jump in surprise. He looked in that direction with wide opened eyes and saw Phichit who seemed to be a big chaotic mix of irritation and restless happiness.

"What is it, Phichit?" Yuuri asked as soon as he fixed his glasses and opened the door for him. "You know we're closed today."

"Yuuuuuuri, it is really, really, _really_ important!" his friend answered, quickly coming inside.

"Okay... I'm listening."

Phichit looked into his friend's eyes with a serious face.

"Why didn't you answer my messages?"

"O-oh? I'm sorry, I muted my phone." Yuuri blushed slightly in embarrassment.

"So mean..." Phichit said in a whiny dramatic voice, pouting. "And here I was, thinking that we were friends!"

"S-sorry!"

"Anyway, Yu-Yu..." He looked at Yuuri with a mischievous smirk on his face, the previous miserable expression gone completely. Katsuki could see something definitely was coming. "I found your prince charming."

"W-what? My p-prince charming? What does that even mean?" Yuuri panicked.

"Mr. Handsome! And his name is Viktor by the way, I found him on Instagram. Just look!"

He took out his phone from his pocket and showed Yuuri a photo. Yeah, that was definitely the man who had visited "Yu-topia" the other day. He was at an ice rink, lifting a little girl in the air. The description said: "Because every princess needs to have her own prince!". Katsuki smiled. It definitely suited the man in the picture. He had grace and that beautiful silver hair really made him look like a royal or something close to it. Even his name suited the title. But the thing that Yuuri specifically liked in that picture was the man's wide, happy smile that was reflected in his icy blue eyes.

"So cute..." Yuuri thought.

"I know, right? And he's perfect with children it seems. I could even forgive him for not eating katsudon."

Katsuki looked up at his friend, raising his head violently and almost hitting Phichit but he didn't have the time to worry about it then. He was thinking about an other thing - he said out loud that the man, Viktor, was cute. Why. Why did he do that? What the hell was that, Katsuki? He really didn't mean to say that! Phichit would never let him live it down. Yuuri quickly looked at the photo again, trying to hide his embarrassment and then noticed something that he somehow mysteriously glossed over earlier.

"B-but... Is that Loop?"

"Mhm," Phichit nodded with a grin.

The realisation hit Yuuri like a truck.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"I'm picking up the girls from the ice rink on Thursday. If he is their instructor... Oh no."

"OH YES."

"Phichit, stop! Please go instead of me. Please, I will do everything!" Yuuri truly panicked. He couldn't meet Viktor, it just didn't seem right, he wasn't ready, he never would be, but who cared right then, he shouldn't have agreed in the first place even if he didn't know the man was the triplets' figure skating instructor, he really shouldn't have. He looked at Phichit with begging eyes. "Please."

Phichit just sighed and sent Yuuri the it-is-not-working-you-know-it-right look.

"You won't go, will you?"

"Noooope."

Yuuri sighed. He knew it would end like this but a part of him still believed that Phichit would agree despite all the evenings and nights preparing Yuuri for the possibility of meeting Viktor again. He knew he acted like a coward, yeah, he was really scared. But maybe... maybe that was his chance. He should think of something and he should do that really fast if he wanted to stay alive on Thursday. What could possibly go wrong, huh?

"Okay... I will need your help then."


	5. Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Again, I'm sorry it took me so long, but my finals are coming and that means a lot of work! And also, just to help me with studies, my brain keeps coming up with new ideas for fanfics and forces me to write them. Thanks, brain
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it, I think you will be able to tell why ;) So... enjoy! <3
> 
> P.S. And I wanted to officially thank Sofia for sending me her wonderful fanart to that fic, it's a treasure <3

“Azahara, are you sure you gave me the right report? The one from last week?” Koto asked his assistant, irritation hearable in his voice. Something certainly was wrong. The amount of attacks definitely dropped in the restaurant’s area, especially after the last ghoul fight. And needless to say, the CCG Chairman, Koto Riichi, didn’t like it. Of course, it was really good for the people living there, but too good and promising not to be suspicious.

“Yes, sir, that’s definitely the one you are reading now,” Naoko answered, looking up from her laptop.

“Hm,” the man grumbled, deep in thought. “What about the other wards? Any changes?”

“No, sir, nothing exceptional was reported.”

“Fuck. Where are you hiding, little demon?” Koto murmured to himself, frowning. He wanted to track the Lucifer as fast as possible, but he vanished as quickly as he appeared. Everything was back to normal and yet Koto couldn’t let himself believe that the Fallen Angel left the town again. However, every single trail led to that conclusion. Especially that no one saw him anywhere, not even heard rumors about him. The agents tried to force the other ghouls into speaking, but with no effects – none of them knew where the Lucifer could be.

“And it seemed that every dog should know where their alpha rules,” the CCG Chairman thought with disdain and smirked. They needed to wait then and retreat the extra patrols, leaving the normal number of them. If they wanted to catch the beast, it had to feel as safe as possible, think it fooled the Agency and in that false confidence make a mistake. And then they would be able to play their cards. Speaking of which…

“What about doctor Ito? I wanted weekly reports from him.”

“He still didn’t give me the last one, I will remind him about it, sir.”

“There’s no need, let him work in peace,” he answered with a steady voice, but inside he was boiling with rage. Koto clenched his fists under the desk. He knew the doctor’s project required time, a lot of time, but the CCG Chairman was impatient. He wanted to take his revenge on the ghoul as fast as possible, see the fear in his eyes, he needed to feel the satisfaction of showing him the Agency’s strength. Koto took a deep breath. Soon, he told himself, smiling at the picture in his mind. Soon.

***

Yuuri sighed, looking at the ice rink. Just a few more steps and he would meet Viktor. It shouldn't be hard, he talked about it with Phichit, preparing himself for every possibility. Everything was going to be just fine. If Viktor remembered him of course, if he didn't make a complete fool of himself back then in the restaurant. Also, if Viktor still wanted to know him and if-

"Get yourself together, Yuuri. It will be okay, just believe in yourself, Phichit told you that so many times. And you promised Yuuko to ask about girls' progress, don’t run away," he scolded himself.

"Yes, Phichit didn't fight for that Yuuri." Katsuki heard an answer in his head, as if his friend really were there. He chuckled. After so much time spent with him he could easily imagine his voice and the way of speaking.

"Right. I'm going to do this," he told himself, feeling somehow better than a moment before.

"And after you come back home you will make your friend the best thank-you-coffee ever."

"Yeah, I probably should m-" Yuuri stopped and turned back, just to see no one other but Phichit Chulanont, standing in front of him with a big grin on his face.

"Phichit?! What are you doing here, were you spying on me?" Katsuki asked, eyes opened wide in shock.

"What? No, I just happened to be nearby and-"

"Yeah, right. I can't believe you have so little faith in me, Phichit. And here I was, thinking that we were friends..." he said, using Phichit's own weapon against him. He still was a little bit angry at him, well, maybe more irritated than angry. He had to admit that he was quite thankful for his friend's concern though.

"Of course we are, Yu-Yu!" Chulanont answered, still wearing a big smile on his face. He knew perfectly well that Yuuri was just teasing him. "Then don't disappoint your bestie and go there and ask this guy out finally!"

"Okay, okay, I will," Katsuki laughed quietly, feeling way more relaxed than before. Phichit was a miracle maker. "But if you want your coffee, you let me do this on my own." He looked at his friend whose eyes started sparkling with happiness.

"Coffee with marshmallows?" he asked barely louder than a whisper, a childish hope in his voice.

"Tons of marshmallows. If I actually succeed," Yuuri sighed.

"You will, Yu-Yu! I'm more than sure!" his friend exclaimed and after giving him a big hug, he started walking back. Just before he disappeared behind the corner, he sent him a one last grin and showed an encouraging thumbs up. Yuuri smiled to himself and looked at the ice rink again. He could do it.

Even before he entered the rink, he was able to hear the sound of skates gliding over the ice. It was a nice and soothing sound, making him look back to the times when he was a little child and used to skate as well. And then he came through the door and he felt as his legs froze. He stood there, mouth opened in awe, eyes locked on the person on the ice. They were moving with such grace and feeling that Yuuri found himself completely charmed. He caught a glimpse of silver hair and the realization hit him like a stone. That person was Viktor. And then he jumped, high in the air, spinning and then landing so beautifully that only after a moment Yuuri noticed he was holding his breath.

"Wow..." he whispered.

"I know, right?" He suddenly heard a merry voice. He looked down and saw no one else but Loop, looking at him with a grin on her face and eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yuuri, do you like Mr. Nikiforov?"

"U-um... I..."

"How was it?" A man's melodic voice reached them, saving Yuuri from the girl's investigation.

"Totally cool!" Lutz exclaimed.

"So that's how a triple Axel looks like? Awesome!" another girl said.

Yuuri looked at Viktor that was now skating towards the edge of the ice rink, laughing quietly.

"Yeah, that's the jump which your name comes from," he told them and when he heard another sound of awe from the girls he smiled, his mouth forming an adorable heart-shaped smile and Yuuri once again felt how his heart skipped a beat. He must have made quite an expression as he soon heard a quiet giggle from Loop. Before he could stop her, she run towards the boards of the rink.

"Mr. Nikiforov, Yuuri is here!"

"Oh right, you told me he was going to pick you up today instead o-" Viktor started, looking in the direction of the entrance and in that moment their eyes met. "-o-o-oh." His eyes opened wide in shock. "Oh." And then again that adorable grin appeared on his face. "It's you!"

Yuuri couldn't answer. He was, once again, a one big blushing mess.

"You know each other?!" the triplets asked with excitement, looking for confirmation from both of them. Viktor just nodded energetically, so energetically that his head could fall off, but Yuuri remained quiet. "Yuuri?!" the sisters asked, demanding an immediate answer.

"W-we... um... yeah, I guess?" he finally managed to say.

"Okay! Then we will go to the locker room to take our bags, right, girls?" Lutz said, way too loud to take it as a normal sentence.

"Good luck, Mr. Nikiforov!" Loop whispered to Viktor.

"Go, Yuuri!" Axel whispered to Katsuki.

And then they followed their sister, leaving the men alone.

"Woah, it's really a small world, huh?" Viktor laughed, trying to look as relaxed as possible. Not even in his dreams he expected that this Yuuri the triplets were talking about would turn out to be the cute barista from the Yu-topia. Especially not when he still wasn't sure why he was thinking about him so much and why he even cared, but... But he was happy he met him again. That was it. He was truly happy. So maybe that was his little chance from life?

"Y-yeah, really small," Yuuri answered, still not looking up.

"Oh, I didn't tell you my name, I'm Viktor!" Nikiforov said, stepping from of the ice and leaning on the boards. Relax, he kept telling himself, just relax. He wished Yuuri came a little bit closer, but he thought that even those few steps of distance were okay for then. And he didn't run away, that was good. He probably just needed personal space. A lot of personal space.

"I know," Katsuki answered and his blush grew even redder when he realised what he had just said. He looked at Viktor, panicking a little. "I-I mean the girls told me! I mean Yuuko! I mean their mother! ‘Cause she told me about you! And I-"

"Yuuri, Yuuri, that's okay, I understand," Nikiforov cut in and sent him a delicate, reassuring smile. It seemed that Yuuri had the same nervous habit as Yuuko and Viktor wanted nothing more than him feeling as comfortable as possible. He didn't want to scare him away again. "It's nice to meet you. Properly this time," he added, still smiling and extended his hand, trying not to jump from happiness when Yuuri stepped closer and took it, shaking it delicately.

"Nice to meet you too," he said quietly. He was still embarrassed because of his nervous chatter. Nothing went okay. Nothing at all. He let go of Viktor's hand and bit his lip, not really knowing what to do next. He didn't want to make a fool of himself again. However, he was saved by Viktor as he started talking about the triplets' training and future plans for the girls to repeat them to Yuuko, so he didn't really had to do anything but nodding or telling the instructor that he understood everything. Though it was hard to concentrate when he was looking into Viktor's icy blue eyes, sparkling with excitement as he was talking, gesticulating and just being one big picture of a happy grown-up child. Yuuri couldn't stop himself from smiling.

Viktor felt as if he was in heaven when he saw the little smile that appeared on Yuuri's face. He would definitely point it out, but their conversation (that was probably too one-sided to call it a dialogue, but Viktor enjoyed it anyway) had to come to an end as the triplets came back from the locker room. Nikiforov was forced to fight away the feeling of disappointment that started clutching his chest. He couldn't really help it, the triplets and Yuuri needed to go back home. He waved them goodbye with a forced smile and sighed deeply, observing how they walked away.

"Yuuri, did you ask him out?" Lutz whispered in conspiracy, glancing behind her to look at Viktor that was trying to hide his miserable expression.

"What? N-no, I didn't-"

"Unforgivable!" Loop exclaimed.

"Stop it!" Yuuri said, blushing, trying to remain quiet enough so that the girls' instructor wouldn't hear them. He wanted to ask him out, he really did, but in the end he just run away, as always. He was a coward after all. Phichit was going to be so disappointed and Yuuri knew deep inside he was disappointed with himself as well. That was his one and only chance and he let it go to waste. He didn't even talk with Viktor normally!

"Mr. Nikiforov!" He suddenly heard one of the girls.

"Axel, what are you-"

"Yuuri just realised he has one more thing to ask you! Right, Yuuri?" Lutz finished for her sister.

"W-wait, w-what are you- I don't-" he started, but then he looked at Viktor and saw how his blue eyes began to sparkle again, full of hope, and he couldn't finish his sentence. If he did, he would just run away again. But in the instructor's eyes he saw something that he didn't let himself feel for a long time and he found the last glimpse of courage that could solve the pointless case that was called Yuuri Katsuki.

"Uhm, yeah, I have one more thing to tell you," he finally said.

"A-actually, I wanted to ask you about something as well," Viktor said quickly, uneasily rubbing the back of his neck, completely catching Yuuri off guard. What? What?! That complicated everything!

"So maybe... you first?" Yuuri asked awkwardly, not really sure what was going on.

"No, that's not that important, you can go first." Viktor forced a laugh. The whole situation started being just grotesque.

"But-"

"Oh, come one, just ask each other out already!" Lutz suddenly said, tapping her foot with irritation. And then she realised what she had said and quickly run out of the rink with an indefinite sound of embarrassment mixed with annoyance escaping her lips, her sisters following her.

It seemed that a little girl scolding them was what they needed.

"So I was wondering if you would like to... If you maybe would like to go with me for... well..." Viktor started and looked down. What happened with his usual confidence?

"Lunch?" Yuuri finished. That was the only thing he could think about then. He was ashamed of himself, because how could he ask Viktor to go with him for a lunch if he didn't even know what he liked?! Great, Yuuri, just great.

"Coffee?" Viktor said at the same time. He knew that was the only human food that he could drink or eat without consequences, but still, it was stupid to ask a barista out for a coffee. A goddamn barista. For a freakin' coffee. He had just asked a barista to go with him for a coffee. Wonderful. He wanted to slap himself for that. He really was a stupid old man, just like Yuri loved saying.

But then they realised what the other one said.

"Oh," they said at the same moment again and looked at each other with amusement. Both of them were just so awkward it was becoming to be funny.

"So maybe a lunch with a coffee?" Yuuri finally said, smiling shyly.

"Yeah, that would be nice. I will text you to talk about the details, okay?" Viktor smiled back and did his best not to do a quadruple flip from happiness.

Yuuri nodded. "So... I will be going then. ‘Till later?" 

"’Till later." Viktor answered, but just before Yuuri went out of the ice rink, he remembered something. "W-wait! I-I don't have your phone number," he said, feeling how his cheeks turned red from embarrassment. He was in such a bliss that he almost forgot about the most important thing.

"Oh. Oh, right. Here you go." Yuuri handed him a paper with his number that he pulled out from his pocket. It seemed that he had it prepared earlier and Viktor looked at him questioningly.

"Please, don't ask." Katsuki just said, also blushing, and then he joined the triplets waiting outside.

Viktor needed a few more minutes to calm down and let everything reach his mind. He was going to go for a date with the cute boy from the Yu-topia! Even though he would probably break all the rules that Nikiforov made for himself, his smile grew even wider. Yuuri definitely was worth it. And Chris would be so proud of him too... 

Screw the rules.


	6. Shelter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys... I'm so sorry it took me so long, but it has been a hard time for me recently... But I assure you, it wasn't abandoned and it probably never will be, so don't worry about that! <3 But I finally finished that chapter, oh my, I'm so glad! The doggo is here and Yurio and Yakov as well!
> 
> But still, if you worry about something or when it seems it's too quiet here, feel free to send me a message :D  
> My [twitter](https://twitter.com/_neromi) and [tumblr](https://himarichibi.tumblr.com/) are here ^^
> 
> And again, Sofia, bro, I love your fanarts, please show them to the world. Thank you for constant support! <3

Viktor was so dead. That definitely wasn't a good idea. What the hell was he thinking? Text Yuuri the details, thank you very much. He didn't even know what those details could be. And everything had started so good... Thank God he had Chris to help him or he would have been damned forever.

After he finished work, he came back home all shiny and smiling, clutching the paper with Yuuri's number to his chest. He smiled so much his face started to hurt but he couldn't care less then. It was his lucky day after all!

“Chris!” he exclaimed as soon as he opened the door to their shared apartment. “Look what I have here!” he added, running towards his friend that was lying on the couch, reading a book, and waved the paper in front of Chris' eyes.

“Shit, Viktor, stop that, I can't see a thing like that you stupid ghoul,” Chris said, trying to push away his friend's hands with an irritated frown on his face.

Viktor didn't even pout as he would usually do when Chris called him that, he was way too happy, almost bouncing with anticipation and hindered excitement. He tried to keep his hand still so that Giacometti could read the paper.

“Well, I see some little numbers, did you win in a lottery?” he said and smiled when Viktor sighed deeply, shaking his head as if Chris was a little child that didn't understand the simplest things, like why the sky is blue or why the sun is shining.

“It's his number! The cute boy from the restaurant!” he almost whined.

Chris looked at him, shocked.

“Nooo.”

“Yes.” Viktor nodded and bit his lip, trying not to smile too hard.

“Nooo way.”

“Yes!”

“You're kidding me, right?”

“Na-ah,” Viktor sing-sang and jumped on the couch, almost crushing Chris in the process.

“Watch out!” Chris huffed and moved to a side to make some room for Viktor so that he could sit next to him.

“Sorry, but... I am going for a date! With him! With the cute boy! For a date!” The last words turned into a little happy squeal and Nikiforov looked at Chris with sparkling eyes.

The said man dried imaginary tears from his cheeks. “How fast you've grown, I still remember how you were sulking around the apartment saying that you can't stop thinking about him as if it was only yesterday!”

Viktor sent him a disapproving look, pouting. “It was yesterday.”

Chris just grinned at him. “I know.” he said and earned an irritated groan as an answer.

“Anyway, what are you two going to do on that date, huh?”

“We decided on a lunch and a coffee. I said I would text him the details,” Nikiforov told him with a proud smile that immediately turned into a frown when he saw Chris' face and his raised eyebrow. “What?”

“You. Going for a lunch. With your cute boy. For a lunch.”

“Yeah?”

Chris extracted his hands, clenched into fists, and showed them to Viktor. “Look. This one is you.” He raised the right hand a little. “And this is lunch.” He raised the second one.

“So what?”

“Now choose one.”

Viktor let out an offended gasp. “I can choose two at once!”

“You and a lunch are two different parallels, Viktor.”

“We're not.”

“Okay, then imagine a distance like a galaxy away. And then add another one, some little planets and a black hole. You got it?”

“Mhm, but what is the point of-“

“That still won't be it.”

“You're being mean, you know that?”

“Yep. Because you won't survive in this big bad round world without my help.”

“I hate you,” Viktor said.

“No, you don't, I know it,” Chris told him and Nikiforov was very well aware of the fact that he had the point.

“Fuck you,” he said instead. God, he started talking like Yuri.

“You wish, grumpy boy. Unfortunately, I'm taken.”

“Ugh, just shut up and help me, will you?”

Chris grinned at him. “With pleasure.”

***

“What tags would be the best...” Phichit thought, looking at his artistic photo of his coffee. And it wasn't just some coffee, no. It was a coffee of victory. A coffee of victory that had tons of marshmallows in it. He took a sip and almost groaned, it was so good. #culinaryorgasm

“I have to thank you for that extra whipped cream, Yu-Yu, it's making it even more delicious,” he said to the boy currently sitting on the sofa in the living room of Phichit's little apartment. After the day of his meeting with Viktor the Prince Charming, he visited Chulanont and without a single word of complaint made him his promised coffee. And it was so perfect he had no words to describe it. Oh. #toogoodforwords

“He still didn't text me, Phichit, what if he changed his mind?” Yuuri asked quietly, playing with his fingers in a nervous manner.

“It was only one day, give him some time,” he answered and took another sip. #sweet #sosweet #imgonnadiefromdiabetes #butinevercaredless

“Yeah, but-”

“Shush, Yu-Yu, I'm experiencing a culinary revelation.” Exactly. #theyservethisinheaven “But, to be honest, you don't have anything to worry about.” #confirmedinfo

„You think so?” Yuuri looked at him and immediately burst out with laughter after a glimpse at Phichit's face. He must have had a cream moustache, he knew it. Oh well, he could just play along with it.

“Trust grandpa Phichit with it, young man,” he said with an old man voice, making Yuuri laugh even harder. He took another sip, trying to maintain a serious face, but failed miserably when he really groaned after tasting one of the marshmallows. “Oh my Goodness, I love it.” #thesoftestmarshmallowsever

“I trust you. But you know how I am.” Yuuri smiled shyly.

“I'm sure it will be alright.” #ineedadentistappointment

“Yes, but wha-”

“Everything is perfectly fine, Yu-Yu!” #checkforcavities “He just probably has to find a place and take care of other stuff and needs time, I told you.” He offered a reassuring warm smile. #thewhippedcreamislikeclouds

“Okay,” Yuuri sighed and was about to say something more when suddenly a tiny sound of incoming message was heard. Katsuki looked at Phichit with eyes wide-opened.

“Katsudamn, it's him! It's definitely him!” Chulanont exclaimed. #ayyyyyy #itreallyis

“And what am I gonna do if it's him? Phichit, what am I gonna do?!” He started panicking, glancing at his phone on the table next to the sofa as if it was not an innocent mobile device, but the worst, the meanest and the most poisonous snake in the world.

“Read it.”

Yuuri just looked at him. The what-the-hell-Phichit glare was on.

“What, just take a big breath, calm down a little and read it.”

And Katsuki did. He took a big breath, just like Phichit had said, opened the message and, as a normal, calm person should do, started screaming after reading it. Chulanont took the device from Yuuri's hand without a word and tried to hide a smile when his friend just buried his face in a pillow to somehow muffle his voice.

“See? He does want to meet with you, I told you he just needed time to choose a place,” Phichit said with a grin after reading the message. “Aw, and he even ended the text with a little heart.” Screaming intensified and Phichit just chuckled. They were going to have a lot of preparations to do. But maybe he would get another coffee for that. Oh. Exactly. #bestwingmansprice

***

“Just don't be late for your first date, just don't be late for your first date, just don't be late for your first date, just don't be late for your first date-” Yuuri kept on telling himself, quickly grabbing a scarf and his coat and running out of the house. Mari was going to tease him later for that, he was more than sure, but right there and then all he was thinking about was getting to the café on time. He didn't want Viktor to think that he purposely got there 15 minutes after the time just to be fashionably late. That definitely wasn't in his style.

When he finally reached his destination, fortunately, on time, Viktor already was there, waiting for him near the entrance. He was wearing a long brown coat and Yuuri swallowed hardly. He didn't know Viktor could look any better, but yet there he was, proving him wrong. He approached the man shyly.

“Hi, I hope you didn't have to wait long,” he said and then was blinded by Viktor's happy smile and immediately embraced into a hug. “Yuuri! Don't worry, I just got here earlier,” he told him, but then tensed a little and pulled back. “I'm sorry, I'm a little bit too straightforward sometimes.”

“I don't mind.” Yuuri smiled reassuringly. He really didn't and was rewarded by yet another happy grin.

“Then let's get inside, shall we?”

Yuuri nodded and then something he has been waiting for began. He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stop himself from checking the hours left to their date, Viktor was exactly the same (if not worse). He couldn’t help it but think how wonderfully Yuuri looked with his cheeks blushed red because of something he said earlier, and he even didn’t mind to eat something. He knew it would turn out bad for him later as ghouls shouldn't eat humans' food, but he just didn’t care right then. He kinda wanted to be… normal when it came to Yuuri.

Their conversation went smoothly and they both enjoyed their time together as if they knew each other for a very long time. There was some kind of little spark between them, the light of trust and feeling. Even though they both still weren’t able to name it, they knew it was there.

They talked about many things, even ghouls. And Viktor had to admit, he freaked out a little then. He was so afraid that Yuuri would despise his kind for what they were, but he... he understood. He was able to tell bad from good apart and the real decision from being forced to do something and he was sad because of actions of the CCG. Of course, he knew they protected humans from ghouls, but it still wasn't really a reason to kill entire families. Viktor smiled sadly and then agreed with him. And Yuuri couldn't help but think how many things these blue eyes of his had to witness.

Unfortunately, their time together had to come to an end and they eventually left the restaurant and went to the park. However, their conversation was disturbed by a sound of an incoming message at Viktor's phone.

“I got a text I can take my dog back home,” Viktor said with a wide grin on his face after reading the SMS.

“Oh, you didn't say you have a dog.” Yuuri told him, a little confused, but returned the smile. Viktor's happiness was contagious.

“I have! A poodle, to be precise. One, big, fluffy ball of fur.” He added with a quite dreamy sigh. He really missed Makkachin.

Yuuri chuckled. “Well, I won't hold you back then, go to your Poodle Charming.”

“Okay.” Viktor nodded with a small smile, but as much as he wanted to see his dog, he also couldn't make himself leave Yuuri so soon. “But maybe... Maybe you want to meet her?” he asked hopefully.

Yuuri opened his eyes wide in shock and Viktor got scared he might have been a little bit too straightforward. He knew it was their first true date and Chris told him very clearly not to bring Yuuri home after the first one, but it kinda wasn't his home, was it? It was just a place he grew up in. He just hoped Yuuri wouldn't get him wrong. Luckily for him, after a moment of shock and distrust, Yuuri's face lightened up and a big smile appeared on it.

“I would love to!” he exclaimed, not being able to contain his excitement. “I adore poodles!” he also said and before he could stop them, his memories that he so hoped to lock in the back of his mind started coming back to him. “I even had one, but he passed away a few years ago. His name was Vicchan,” he added quietly, looking down and chewing inside of his cheek. “I'm sorry I brought it up, I destroyed the mood,” he said shyly after a short while, being embarrassed and playing with his fingers in a nervous manner when suddenly Viktor took his hands in his own ones and squeezed them reassuringly.

“It's okay, Yuuri.” Katsuki heard Viktor's delicate voice and looked into his icy blue eyes that were so strangely warm right then, but also behind all the warmth there was some distant grief. “I understand how hard it is to lose the ones you loved. But all we can do now is remember them well, right?” He was speaking softly and Yuuri felt as the feelings of guilt and sadness slowly left his body. He let himself smile a little and Viktor smiled back. “Let's go now, shall we?” He said after a moment and Yuuri nodded, happy that when they were leaving the park, his hand was still in Viktor's hand and their fingers were intertwined together.

***

“We're here.” Viktor said, coming to a halt in front of a blue, medium-sized house in the suburbs. It looked really nice, but Yuuri couldn't help but feel nervous. He was going to meet people who were Viktor's family. After one date and it still didn't really get to him that they were rather close even though they barely just met. He knew what Phichit would say. That it was fate that their eyes met on that one day in Yu-topia and that it would be remembered forever by the next generations. Still, Yuuri couldn’t really believe it. Nikiforov seemed to notice his nervousness.

“Don’t worry, my uncle and cousin are not scary, you will like them,” he said with a smile and squeezed Yuuri’s hand reassuringly. “They are really nice,” he added and knocked on the door.

“What the fuck do you want, old man?” was the very first thing Katsuki heard as soon as the door was opened by a boy with shoulder-length blonde hair and angry expression that turned into disgust for a moment as he noticed Yuuri. „And you, whoever you are.” He glanced at their intertwined hands and let out an irritated sound. “Tch, whatever, just take that dog and go.”

“Aw, aw, Yuri, so you know why we came here after all, I'm touched,” Viktor said, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind him and Yuuri.

“Cut your crap, Shittyforov, you're annoying.”

“Yuri, language, we have a guest,” Viktor told him, trying not to smile. “Have some manners. Yuuri, meet Yuri. Yuri, this is Yuuri,” he introduced them to each other.

“U-um, h-hi?” Katsuki said, not hiding his confusion. What was that with the names?

“I hope this is a fucking stupid joke, old man,” Yuri snapped angrily at Viktor, completely ignoring Yuuri.

Nikiforov tapped his chin, looking up at the ceiling, as if thinking hard about something. “Oh! I know!” he exclaimed happily and looked at his little cousin.

“What, you needed so much time to finally decide it is a shitty jo-”

“I will call you Yurio from now on!”

“What the he-” Plisetsky started, but suddenly was interrupted by a loud bark and the sound of an excited dog running down the stairs.

“Makka! Come here, girl!” Viktor extracted his hands to hug the poodle, but the dog run past him and jumped onto Yuuri, licking his face as soon as she could reach it.

“You like Yuuri more than me? Traitor.”

Makkachin just barked happily and Nikiforov smiled, not being able to act as if he was angry at her.

“She really missed you, Viktor, next time remember not to cause so much trouble and pick her up earlier than after such a long time.”

They both looked in the direction of the new voice, Yuuri still being pinned to the floor by the poodle waving her tail so energetically that Katsuki was afraid it might fall off. They saw a rather short, partially bald man, looking at them with a frown on his face but Yuuri wasn’t sure if it was because he was angry or because that was just his usual expression. He really hoped for the second option to be the right one as it wouldn’t be good to meet Viktor’s uncle and be already disliked by him. He managed to escape from Makkachin’s happy, but rather massive weight, and stand up. 

“Yakov!” Nikiforov exclaimed happily and took a step towards the man with a big smile on his face, reaching out to pull him into a hug.

“I don’t want your hugs, Viktor, better introduce me to your friend,” Yakov stopped him coldly.

“Oh. Oh right!” Viktor smiled even wider and here Yuuri was, thinking it wasn’t really possible. Well, he was proven wrong. “So, Yakov, this is Yuuri Katsuki, my boyfriend.”

Everyone in the hall looked at Viktor with wide-opened eyes. Yuri behaved as if he had just saw a ghost, Yakov was trying to maintain his fury and shock in place, but Yuuri was probably the one shoot the most. But, he had to admit, not really displeased. Quite the opposite if he were to say. Viktor then realised what he had said and turned bright red.

“Well… I mean… It’s…” he started, forgetting all the words, but then he felt how Yuuri was taking his hand into his own one and smiling delicately.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir. I’m sorry for visiting all of a sudden, I wouldn’t want to interrupt or anything,” he said a little shyly. He didn’t really think this through when the words escaped his mouth because of an unexpected wave of courage. Well, he didn’t really think they would start dating this way, but he was really happy he confirmed Viktor’s words. It just felt… right.

“It’s all right,” Yakov finally said and invited them into the living room, Makkachin happily following the men. Yurio just made an irritated sound and walked away from them, calling them stupid and muttering curse words under his nose. But Viktor still couldn’t shake off the feeling he himself stepped over some boundaries a little. Even more than a little.

“I’m sorry for-” he started quietly when Yakov went to the kitchen to make some coffee, but Yuuri interrupted him.

“You don’t have to apologise,” he said, avoiding looking into his eyes and blushing slightly. “I really don’t mind,” he added, hoping Viktor wouldn’t make him say anything more. He knew it still wasn’t enough of an answer and they needed to sort everything out, but right then and there wasn’t a perfect time for this. And Nikiforov understood for what Yuuri was grateful, but he couldn’t miss that happy little sparkles in his icy eyes when he heard his answer.

That was supposed to be a nice evening and it really was until Viktor started feeling unwell. He excused himself to the bathroom, barely reaching to the sink when he started vomiting. He knew he shouldn’t have eaten that meal with Yuuri… Ghouls weren’t able to eat human food, it made them weak and sick and such easy targets for the CCG, but Viktor didn’t think about it when he was with Katsuki. And it was his mistake.

“So, you're playing a human now?” he heard when he walked out of the bathroom and turned back to see no one else but Yurio, laying against a wall, looking at him with disdain in his eyes. “Look what it's doing to you,” he said, glancing at the bathroom door. “Is that pig really worth it? Giving up your strength?” he added.

“Don't call him that,” he answered, avoiding the other questions.

“Beacuse what, Viktor?” Yuri snickered.

“Because he may be my boyfriend and we were on a date. Have some respect, will you?” Nikiforov said with a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

“A date?” Yuri snickered. “With that pig? Where did you go? Visit his family at a mass livestock farming?”

“Yuri, I'm warning you-”

“Don't make me laugh.”

“Yuri.”

“Didn't your mommy teach you not to play with food? I'm sure-”

“Enough,” Viktor hissed, his voice steady, quiet and as cold as ice, more terrifying than a simple scream. He pinned the boy to the wall and looked at him with his eyes full of anger. His icy blue ones disappeared, being replaced by the red ghoul ones full of fire. Yuri shivered a little against his own will, seeing a dark threat deep in them, showing that Nikiforov wouldn't stop till Yurio payed for everything with his life if he hadn't any self-control. He was the Lucifer, the Fallen Angel, the mystery of Tokyo and the most dangerous ghoul in the city and it would be better if Yuri never forgot about it again. After a moment, he loosened the grip on the boy’s t-shirt and let him go.

“Sorry,” he said, as his blue eyes looking at Yurio with nothing but concern replaced the red ones.

“Tch, whatever. I just didn't think you would forget your promise that easily,” he made a move to go back upstairs, but was stopped by a hand gripping his elbow.

"I-I didn't, but he's not like they are, please give him a chance. Yuri, you don't like him just because he is a human!" Viktor said, almost begging.

"And I think you do like him just because of the same reason," the younger man answered bitterly, putting his hands into the pockets of his black jeans and walking away, not letting Viktor stop him again.

When Nikiforov came back to the living room, he was happy to see Yuuri chatting friendly with Yakov. He sighed with relief. At least one person in this house liked his boyfriend. And Makkachin of course. She adored him and Viktor thought that was a very good sign.

They decided to end their visit in Yakov’s house soon after as Nikiforov wanted to take his pet home as quick as possible. He knew she also missed his and Chris’ flat and the man himself as well. However, when they reached the hall and were putting on their shoes, Viktor had to excuse himself to the bathroom because he felt sick again. Yuuri followed him with his worried gaze, his smile dropping a little. Ever since they left the café, Viktor wasn’t feeling well, he had a stomach-ache and looked rather pale and Katsuki was afraid it was something caused by the food they had eaten. He petted Makkachin’s head, deep in thoughts.

Yakov turned his head to look at Yuuri with his knowing everything eyes, making Katsuki feel a little bit uncomfortable. He looked at him for a while and then a sad smile appeared on his face.

“You're going to hurt this boy,” he said to him, catching Yuuri off guard, his hand petting the poodle frozen in the dog's fur. He didn't really understand what Yakov meant by that, the two of them just met after all and he was giving him... what. A life advice? He was lost in his thoughts, but when he was finally about to say something, ask Yakov why had he said that, Viktor's merry voice calling to them was heard and the man appeared in sight soon after. Yuuri wasn't able to ask the older man what he wanted.

They said their goodbyes and headed home, Yakov's words forgotten in the bliss of the happiness of being together. But although it was forgotten, that single sentence still was sitting in Yuuri's head like a parasite of the dark, ready to come back when the light would start to fade.


	7. Wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am again! Sorry for the delay, guys, I hope the chapter is worth the waiting. It's shorter than usual, but it's because my brain did something like that:  
> Me: Oh my, I have Carpe Noctem to write!  
> Me @ me: Oh my, let's start a new story then!  
> So yeah, I'm writing a new Iwaoi AU in which Oikawa is a river spirit. It will probably be a one shot and I will let you know when I finish it <3 I really hope it isn't a disaster xD
> 
> Anyway, I would like to thank everybody who commented and left a kudo on the last chapter, it gave me strength to write faster and mooore, because I didn't think anyone still remembered that this fic exists x'D This chapter is for all of you <3 Hope you enjoy!

It had been a few days or weeks, neither of them could really say. All of this was still new for them and despite everything, they decided to take it slow. Nothing would had been worse than jumping into a relationship without taking anything into consideration and they both accepted it, but they also felt it wasn’t the best solution. It left them with a bittersweet feeling, bitter emptiness with sweet happiness of just being together. They also sent each other many messages, Viktor, being a romantic, always wrote a good morning and goodnight text, sometimes waking Yuuri up at an ungodly hour, because he didn’t really think about 5 a.m. being the time when normal people (that aren’t ice skating instructors) sleep. Those texts still made Yuuri smile and blush adorably.

It was a free day from the training sessions, a lot of people came to the rink just to meet with friends and spend time with each other. Viktor was looking at their cheerful and excited faces with a little smile, but, for the very first time since he could remember, he wasn’t looking at them full of melancholy or grief. No, he was relaxed and happy.  
When he was looking around, something odd caught his eye. He saw a little girl sitting alone on the bench with a paper cup in her hand. She seemed to be sad, or just bored, if Viktor was to say, but also somehow familiar, what was strange to him. He was sure he had never seen her before.

“Hey, how are you?”, he asked with a friendly smile after he came a little bit closer. As a good soul he was, he didn’t want the girl to sit there alone.

“I’m okay, just cold.”

“Do you want me to bring you some tea or a blanket? You shouldn’t drink coffee at your age,” he said, seeing what was inside the cup.

“I’m fine. Nothing other tastes good, it’s the only thing that I like,” she answered quietly, looking up at him. Her big, brown innocent eyes reminded him about Yuuri and he smiled encouragingly to her, happy to see her smiling back a little. She had long black hair and a hair spin with an adorable Godzilla pattern. The child was wearing a fluffy red sweater, which Viktor found really cute and despite everything and his obligations as a skating instructor, he decided to spend some time with the girl. His job was to take care of the people coming to the rink anyway, right?

“Oh. I understand… May I?” He sat down next to her after receiving a small nod. “Where are your parents?”

She pointed at a young pair skating on the ice, a man and a woman with the same beautiful black hair. “There.”

“Don’t you want to skate as well?” 

“I don’t like ice. It’s too… icy.”

Viktor chuckled. “Maybe-“, he started, but she cut in.

“I like your eyes though. They are icy, but in a nice way. Do you change them often?”

“Do I… change them often?”

“Mhm, you look really bad then. I bet you don’t like changing them, these ones are much better. I don’t like changing mine either, you know?”

“W-what?”

All courtesy forgotten, Viktor was just staring at her, shocked, his mind playing many different scenarios in his mind. Was that girl a ghoul? Or maybe…. Maybe she was just a decoy? Were her parents really her parents, not CCG agents? Should he play it cool and consider it as a joke to protect himself? But what if she really was a ghoul? And her parents were ghouls as well? He sent her a small fake smile, trying to hide his nervousness.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean,” he finally said, trying to play the fool, but the girl just frowned.

“You-“, she started, but was stopped by a sudden voice, calling her name.

“Sakura! What did I tell you about saying jokes like that to other people?”

When Viktor looked up, he saw the two people the girl pointed at earlier rushing to them with skates in their hands. How much did they hear?

“But mum! It’s not a joke!” Sakura tried to explain herself. “He really is a ghoul!” At least she kept her voice quiet and no one else heard them.

“You’re making the man uncomfortable, Sakura,” her father scolded her and turned his head to look at Viktor. “We’re really sorry for her.”

“It’s okay, I was just surprised, that’s all,” Viktor told him, letting out a nervous laughter.

“We didn’t want to cause you any trouble…” the girl’s mother said quietly to him. Nikiforov looked at her, not quite understanding the way she was speaking – as if it wasn’t about the situation with Sakura and her ghoul theories. “We owe you a big one for saving us that night. Thank you,” she added, her eyes determined, but in the corners tears of relief and happiness started to shine.

Viktor stared at her for long enough to make her shift uncomfortably under his gaze, but he finally started connecting the dots. They were… oh of course, how could he be so stupid! Him and his memory… Nikiforov sighed. That was the family of ghouls he saved from the CCG when he came back to Tokyo. They were tracked by a whole squad of agents, as if they were some dangerous terrorists, not a small, kind family. He didn’t really have pleasant memories from that night, but this time he was glad he didn’t throw stash the memory somewhere in the dark corners of his mind. Parents with a little girl, oh he knew, he just knew she was familiar.

“Oh.” Despite everything, that was all he was able to say at the moment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t re-“

“It’s all right.” Sakura’s father waved his hand in front of him to show he really didn’t mind. “We didn’t recognize you either. It was hard to believe that you are here, it’s a big public place after all. Even we were a little afraid to come here,” he said, laughing quietly and shaking his head.

“I _told you_ it was him,” Sakura finally said with an offended pout. Viktor stood up with a smile and ruffled her hair, making her giggle.

“I’m sorry I reacted like that, Sakura,” he told her.

“It’s okay, we have to hide too, Angel,” she nodded, but kept her voice quieter this time.

Viktor froze for a moment. Angel. It was the first time someone called him that without meaning a cold-hearted beast or a devil, the worst from the worst. It was a name of hope and love and Viktor finally felt how everything slowly started coming back to the right places. He smiled again, eyes a little watery and let Sakura hug him tightly, happy to finally be understood and see his own sky once again.

That situation put him into a good mood for all day, so when he left the rink to meet with Yuuri, he was grinning more than usual (at least more than usual when he was going to meet with him).

“Yuuri!” He waved to the man waiting for him outside the building and as soon as he came closer, he pulled him into a hug and have him a soft peck on the cheek, making him blush. He loved doing it and loved watching how Yuuri’s face slowly reddened in an adorable way and, what was there to hide, he really enjoyed the idea it was him who was making him like that. He probably liked it way too much.

“V-viktor!” Yuuri stuttered out with a mix of surprise and happiness.

“Sorry, sorry,” he laughed. “So, we’re visiting your friend today

“Mhm. I really want you to meet him,” Katsuki said with a smile. He didn’t mention that Phichit wanted to meet him as well. He knew Viktor would probably freak out and he definitely didn’t want that. He just... It was really important to him. He wasn’t able to explain it, but he wanted them to like each other. Phichit was his best friend and Viktor was his... boyfriend or something, they still didn’t talk about their relationship. But they were seeing each other, that one was sure.

They made it to Phichit’s apartment on time (Chulanont of course _had to_ comment that) and well, Yuuri had to admit that it went much, much, much better than he thought it would go.

“I have just one important question,” Phichit started when they sat on the sofa, water for tea and coffee boiling in the kitchen.

“Hm?” Yuuri glanced at his friend that started staring at Viktor with a serious expression on his face.

“So, Viktor. Katsudon. Do you like it or nah?”

Viktor looked at him as if he saw a ghost. He kinda thought he would hear something like “I will kill you if you hurt him” or “look at my face, it’s the last thing you’ll see before you die” (Phichit, even though he had a hamster on his head, still looked intimidating) or even simple “I know where you work and I will make sure you aren’t leaving the rink alive”. He glanced at Yuuri with a question in his eyes, but he just chuckled and shrugged. Great. So he was on his own.

“Um... I didn’t try it...”

Phichit raised his eyebrow in anticipation.

“...yet?” Viktor finished.

“Great! Welcome to the family and we’re having katsudon for dinner tomorrow!” Phichit grinned.

After that they fell into an easy conversation, talking for a while about nothing and everything, Viktor finally understanding why Yuuri was so fond of Phichit. He was funny, charismatic and Nikiforov could easily see that he cared about Yuuri as much as Viktor did, if not more, being friends with him for a few years and all. They left Phichit’s apartment with smiles on their faces, bur suddenly Viktor stopped just after they got out of the building.

“I left my wallet upstairs. Wait for a minute, ‘kay?” Viktor said and Yuuri nodded, letting him come back to Phichit’s.

Chulanont was waiting for him with the wallet in his hand, but the look he gave Viktor wasn’t approving at all. That was a warning.

“You’ve forgotten something,” he stated the obvious.

“Y-yeah, thank you.” Viktor took his wallet from him, not quite understanding the sudden change in Phichit’s behaviour.

“Just to be clear, Viktor. I don’t trust you. I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I’m not stupid. If he gets hurt in any way, I’m reporting you to CCG without delay. Have I made myself clear, Lucifer?”

“I-I...” Viktor didn’t know what to say. So Phichit knew who he really was? It didn’t make any sense. How? Since when? From whom? All of the questions must have been written on his face, because Phichit sighed and decided to explain.

“I am a CCG post boy, or something like that. I hear news, it’s not hard for me to connect the dots.” He looked at Viktor a little more gently. “I’m still not sure about you, but Yuuri is really happy. And it was you who made him that. I probably don’t want to believe myself, but you look honest to me. So don’t fuck this up, Viktor, okay?”

Nikiforov nodded and that was the answer Phichit needed. “Now go, Yuuri’s waiting.”

“What took you so long?” Yuuri asked when Viktor joined him.

Nikiforov chuckled nervously. “I got _the talk_ from Phichit.”

Yuuri groaned. “Oh my God, and I thought he wouldn’t do that,” he said, taking Viktor’s hand in his.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“It wasn’t? You are pale, Vik, come on, I know Phichit can be an ass sometimes,” Yuuri chuckled.

Viktor didn’t respond. Vik. He called him by a cute nickname. Yuuri called him by a cute nickname. He started grinning like an idiot, showing his heart-shaped smile and when Katsuki looked at him, he couldn’t help it but blush for the second time that evening.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Viktor sing-sanged and pulled Yuuri after him, going to one of his favourite places in the city. It was nearby and it was the perfect timing as the sun just started to go down. The spot he chose was perfect for watching the sunset, no buildings disturbed the view of the sky and the snow on the trees all around them sparkled beautifully, making it look like from a fairytale. And Viktor couldn’t stop thinking that his life started to be a dream and he didn’t want to wake up. He looked at Yuuri who was watching the light with amazement and he smiled delicately, seeing how his brown eyes were filled with happiness. Viktor knew that was a perfect time for something he wanted to do all those weeks ago, keeping it hidden even from himself. But Phichit had finally made him realise how important it was.

So he finally said it.

“I love you.”

Yuuri immediately looked at him, his mouth opened in surprise, but then he smiled sweetly to Viktor.

“I love you too,” he told him.

And no more words were needed when they were standing there, holding hands and looking at the sun.

***

Investigator Koto was sitting in his room, papers thrown all over his desk and his fingers tapping in a regular rhythm on the wooden surface. He was irritated. Ito was supposed to bring him the results in the morning, but the sun was already setting down and Koto wasn’t a person that was used to waiting for other people.

“Doctor Ito is asking for your time, sir.”

Koto let out an annoyed sigh. Finally. “Let him in,” he said and sent an angry look to the man coming in.

“I wanted the results in the morning. That was ten hours ago, Ito,” he told him as soon as the doctor sat down in front of him, but the latter just smiled.

“It was worth all the waiting, I guarantee it,” he said with his quiet voice that sent shivers down Koto’s spine. Ito always made people uncomfortable, but he was the brain of the Agency and so no one really wanted to get him fired. He was one of the best, if not the best, scientist in the Agency’s laboratories.

“Show me then,” he said before the doctor could start bragging about his work. He wanted results, not empty words without meaning and promises of nothing.

The papers and the drawing he saw were familiar, but that wasn’t what he was looking for. He took a single small photograph in his hand and nodded his head, satisfied and yet… he wanted more.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“Not really. We still need to make some tests. My assistant is helping me, but to finish the project we will need… well, the objects, as you can see here,” he showed Koto the document to sign.

Koto hummed, reading everything. Was it really worth it? No, of course it was. They needed to revenge their fathers, mothers, children, dearest friends… his dearest brother.  


“The worst thing possible is to be taken away from the ones you love the most. Or when they are taken away from you. And whether or not you like it, you will have to face the consequences of everything you did, Lucifer,” Koto thought, taking a pen in his hand.

“I accept the prototype. You can start the next stage, doctor.”

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: My wonderful bro finally decided to post her fanart to this fic on tumblr and I'm just so happy and touched and oh my God, it's so wonderful, please check it out <3  
> It is [here](https://peachmoloko.tumblr.com/post/165438449816/in-case-youre-as-thirsty-for-tokyo-ghoul-au-as-i) <3


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